Healer Savant, Prestige Class (3.5)

[LordErebus12]

Healer Savant

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Feats: Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Heal)
Skills: Heal 8 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 4 ranks.
Special: Ability to cast 3rd level spells or higher with the healing descriptor.

GAME RULE INFORMATION
Healer Savants have the following game statistics.

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills
The Healer Savant’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) × 4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

{table=head]{colsp=8}Table: Healer Savant Class
Level| BAB | Fort| Ref |Will| Special Abilities| Reach| Spells Per Day

1st |+0 |+0 |+0 |+2 | Enhanced Healer, Healing Hands, Protective Mantle |--- |+1 of existing spellcasting class
2nd |+1 |+0 |+0 |+3 | Restorative Reach |20 ft. |+1 of existing spellcasting class
3rd |+2 |+1 |+1 |+3 | Combat Healer |40 ft. |+1 of existing spellcasting class
4th |+3 |+1 |+1 |+4 | Healer's Blessing |60 ft. |+1 of existing spellcasting class
5th |+3 |+1 |+1 |+4 | Aspect of Life’s Essence |80 ft. |+1 of existing spellcasting class
[/table]

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Healer Savant.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
Healer Savants gain no new proficiencies.

1st - Enhanced Healer (Su):
Whenever you cast a cure spell, the maximum number of hit points healed is based on your caster level, not the limit based on the spell.

Example: Cure Light caps out at 1d8+5 (at 5th caster level). now it can increase beyond that point, to a maximum of your current caster level.

1st - Healing Hands (Ex):
You gain a +4 bonus on Heal checks. You may provide first aid to two people or treat two people for poison as a standard action (make a separate Heal check for each creature). When using the Heal skill to treat wounds from caltrops (and so on), treat deadly wounds, treat poison, treat disease, or treat long-term care, you may treat double the normal number of people you may treat at the same time. You may provide long term care for yourself.

1st - Protective Mantle (Su):
Whenever you cast a spell that cures the target of hit point damage, you automatically manifest a protective aura around yourself; any opponent attempting to strike or otherwise directly attack the healer savant, even with a targeted spell, must attempt a Will save (DC 15+ Healer Savant level).

If the save succeeds, the opponent can attack normally and is unaffected by the protective mantle. If the save fails, the opponent can’t follow through with the attack, that part of its action is lost, and it can’t directly attack the protected healer savant for that round. Those not attempting to attack the subject remain unaffected. This ability does not prevent the healer savant from being attacked or affected by area or effect spells.

2nd - Restorative Reach (Su):
A Healer Savant can cast touch spells with the healing descriptor at a range of 20 ft. This range increases by 20 ft. for each healer savant level afterwards (40 ft. at 3rd, 60 ft. at 4th and finally 80 ft. at 5th). If the target is unaware or unwilling, the healer savant must succeed a ranged touch attack against the target.

3rd - Combat Healer (Su):
Whenever the healer savant casts a cure spell (a spell with “cure” in its name), it can be cast as a swift action, as if using the Quicken Spell feat, by expending two spell slots. This does not increase the level of the spell. the healer savant can use this ability once per day per Healer Savant level.

4th - Healer's Blessing (Su):
All of the healer savant's cure spells are treated as if they were empowered, increasing the amount of damage healed by half (+50%). This does not apply to damage dealt to undead with a cure spell. This does not stack with the Empower Spell metamagic feat.

5th - Aspect of Life’s Essence (Su):
The healer savant only requires one-fourth the material components and need only expend half the experience point component for spells with the healing descriptor (such as true resurrection). You also gain immunity to all magical and non-magical diseases and all poisons.

[LordErebus12]

1st Level Spells



Spell
Description
Source


Aid
+1 on attack rolls and saves against fear, 1d8 temporary hp +1/level (max +10).
CRB


Bless
Allies gain +1 on attack rolls and saves against fear.
CRB


Bless Water M
Makes holy water.
CRB


Calm Emotions
Calms creatures, negating emotion effects.
CRB


Comprehend Languages
You understand all spoken and written languages.
CRB


Consecrate M
Fills area with positive energy, weakening undead.
CRB


Cure Light Wounds
Cures 1d8 damage + 1/level (max +5).
CRB


Cure Light Wounds, Mass
Cures 1d8 damage + 1/level, affects 1 subject/level.
CRB


Deathwatch
Reveals how near death subjects within 30 ft. are.
CRB


Delay Poison
Stops poison from harming target for 1 hour/level.
CRB


Detect Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
Reveals creatures, spells, or objects of selected alignment.
CRB


Detect Poison
Detects poison in one creature or object.
CRB


Detect Undead
Reveals undead within 60 ft.
CRB


Endure Elements
Exist comfortably in hot or cold regions.
CRB


Gentle Repose
Preserves one corpse.
CRB


Hide from Undead
Undead can't perceive one subject/level.
CRB


Protection from Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
+2 to AC and saves, plus additional protection against selected alignment.
CRB


Purify Food and Drink
Purifies 1 cu. ft./level of food or water.
CRB


Remove Fear
Suppresses fear or gives +4 on saves against fear for one subject + one per four levels.
CRB


Remove Paralysis
Frees creatures from paralysis or slow effect.
CRB


Restoration, Lesser
Dispels magical ability penalty or repairs 1d4 ability damage.
CRB


Sanctuary
Opponents can't attack you, and you can't attack.
CRB


Shield of Faith
Aura grants +2 or higher deflection bonus.
CRB


Shield Other F
You take half of subject's damage.
CRB


Stabilize
Cause a dying creature to stabilize.
CRB


Status
Monitors condition, position of allies.
CRB







Blessing of Courage and Life
+2 on saves vs. fear and death.
APG


Ghostbane Dirge
Incorporeal creature takes half damage from nonmagical weapons.
APG







Compassionate Ally
Target is compelled to help injured ally.
UM


Decompose Corpse
Turn corpse into clean skeleton.
UM


Delay Pain
Ignore pain for 1 hour/level.
UM


Diagnose Disease
Detect and identify diseases.
UM


Remove Sickness
Suppress disease, nausea, and the sickened condition.
UM


Restore Corpse
Skeletal corpse grows flesh.
UM


Sanctify Corpse
Prevent a corpse from becoming an undead creature.
UM


Spear of Purity
Harm and possibly blind evil creatures.
UM


Surmount Affliction
Temporarily suppress one condition.
UM


Web Shelter
Create a comfortable shelter made of webbing.
UM







Air Bubble
Creates a small pocket of air around your head or an object.
UC


Liberating Command
Target makes an Escape Artist check as an immediate action and gains a bonus on it.
UC


Protection from Chaos, Communal
As protection from chaos, but you may divide the duration among creatures touched.
UC


Protection from Evil, Communal
As protection from evil, but you may divide the duration among creatures touched.
UC


Protection from Good, Communal
As protection from good, but you may divide the duration among creatures touched.
UC


Protection from Law, Communal
As protection from law, but you may divide the duration among creatures touched.
UC


Reinforce Armaments, Communal
As reinforce armaments, but you may divide the duration among objects touched.
UC



2nd Level Spells



Spell
Description
Source


Cure Moderate Wounds
Cures 2d8 damage + 1/level (max +10).
CRB


Cure Moderate Wounds, Mass
Cures 2d8 damage + 1/level, affects 1 subject/level.
CRB


Daylight
60-ft. radius of bright light.
CRB


Death Ward
Grants bonuses against death spells and negative energy.
CRB


Dimensional Anchor
Bars extradimensional movement.
CRB


Dismissal
Forces a creature to return to native plane.
CRB


Dispel Magic
Cancels one magical spell or effect.
CRB


Divination M
Provides useful advice for specific proposed actions.
CRB


Divine Power
You gain attack bonuses and 1 hp/level.
CRB


Freedom of Movement
Subject moves normally despite impediments to movement.
CRB


Holy Smite
Harms and possibly blinds evil creatures (1d8 damage/2 levels).
CRB


Magic Circle against Chaos/Evil/Good/Law
As protection spells, but 10-ft. radius and 10 min./level.
CRB


Neutralize Poison
Immunizes subject against poison, detoxifies venom in or on subject.
CRB


Prayer
Allies get +1 bonus on most rolls, enemies –1 penalty.
CRB


Remove Blindness/Deafness
Cures normal or magical blindness or deafness.
CRB


Remove Curse
Frees object or person from curse.
CRB


Remove Disease
Cures all diseases affecting subject.
CRB


Restoration
Restores level and ability score drains.
CRB


Searing Light
Ray deals 1d8/two levels damage (more against undead).
CRB


Sending
Delivers short message anywhere, instantly.
CRB


Speak with Dead
Corpse answers one question/two levels.
CRB







Blessing of Fervor
Gives allies a choice of benefits.
APG


Elemental Speech
You can speak with elementals and some creatures.
APG


Enter Image
Transfers your consciousness to an object bearing your likeness.
APG


Guiding Star
Know approximate distance from where you cast this spell.
APG


Nap Stack
Subjects only need 2 hours for a night’s sleep, and can sleep even longer for more benefits.
APG


Planar Adaptation
Resist harmful effects of other plane.
APG


Rest Eternal M
Dead creature cannot be revived.
APG


Sacred Bond F
Cast touch healing spells from a distance.
APG


Spiritual Ally
Creates a divine ally to aid you.
APG


Wrathful Mantle
Subject gets +1/four levels on all saves.
APG







Daybreak Arrow
Targeted ammunition exudes radiant energy.
UC


Delay Poison, Communal
As delay poison, but you may divide the duration among creatures touched.
UC


Discovery Torch
Touched object emanates bright light, granting Perception and Sense Motive bonuses.
UC







Symbol of Healing M
Triggered rune heals living creatures.
UM


Symbol of Revelation M
Triggered symbol reveals illusions.
UM



3rd Level Spells



Spell
Description
Source


Atonement MF
Removes burden of misdeeds from subject and reverses magical alignment change.
CRB


Banishment
Banishes 2 HD/level of extraplanar creatures.
CRB


Break Enchantment
Frees subjects from enchantments, transmutations, and curses.
CRB


Breath of Life
Cures 5d8 damage + 1/level and restores life to recently slain creatures.
CRB


Commune M
Deity answers one yes-or-no question/level.
CRB


Cure Serious Wounds
Cures 3d8 damage + 1/level (max +15).
CRB


Cure Serious Wounds, Mass
Cures 3d8 damage + 1/level, affects 1 subject/level.
CRB


Dispel Magic, Greater
As dispel magic, but with multiple targets.
CRB


Find the Path
Shows most direct way to a location.
CRB


Flame Strike
Smites foes with divine fire (1d6/level damage).
CRB


Hallow M
Designates location as holy.
CRB


Heal
Cures 10 points/level damage, all diseases and mental conditions.
CRB


Raise Dead M
Restores life to subject who died as long as one day/level ago.
CRB


Resurrection M
Fully restore dead subject.
CRB


Righteous Might
Your size increases, and you gain bonuses in combat.
CRB


Scrying F
Spies on subject from a distance.
CRB


Undeath to Death M
Destroys 1d4 HD/level undead (max. 20d4).
CRB


Word of Recall
Teleports you back to designated place.
CRB







Cleanse
Cures 4d8 damage +1/level (max +25) and also removes several afflictions.
APG


Ghostbane Dirge, Mass
As ghostbane dirge, but affects multiple creatures.
APG


Life Bubble
Protects creatures from environment.
APG


Pillar of Life
Created pillar heals 2d8 +1/level (max +20)
APG


Planar Adaptation, Mass
As planar adaptation, but affects multiple creatures.
APG







Holy Ice M
Create wall or javelins of frozen holy water.
UM


Serenity
Peaceful feelings harm those attempting violence.
UM



4th Level Spells




Spell
Description
Source


Cure Critical Wounds
Cures 4d8 damage + 1/level (max +20).
CRB


Cure Critical Wounds, Mass
Cures 4d8 damage + 1/level for many creatures.
CRB


Dimensional Lock
Teleportation and interplanar travel blocked for 1 day/level.
CRB


Discern Location
Reveals exact location of creature or object.
CRB


Ethereal Jaunt
You become ethereal for 1 round/level.
CRB


Heal, Mass
As heal, but affects 1 subject/level.
CRB


Holy Aura F
+4 deflection bonus to AC, +4 resistance bonus to saves, and SR 25 against evil spells.
CRB


Holy Word
Kills, paralyzes, blinds, or deafens nongood subjects.
CRB


Refuge M
Alters item to transport its possessor to you.
CRB


Regenerate
Subject's severed limbs grow back, cures 4d8 damage +1/level (max +35).
CRB


Repulsion
Creatures can't approach you.
CRB


Restoration, Greater M
As restoration, plus restores all levels and ability scores.
CRB


Scrying, Greater
As scrying, but faster and longer.
CRB


Symbol of Stunning M
Triggered rune stuns nearby creatures.
CRB


True Resurrection M
As resurrection, plus remains aren't needed
CRB







Overwhelming Presence
Creatures bow before you as if you were divine.
UM

[Deepbluediver]

Followed the links from Squirrel's Cure/Inflict-Spell Fix


ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Feats: Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Heal)
Skills: Heal 12 ranks, Knowledge (Religion) 8 ranks.
Special: Ability to cast 4th level spells or higher with the healing descriptor.

The Heal skill doesn't really get a lot of use in games with magical healing readily available. Part of that is the skill's fault, IMO it needs some tweaking.
But how about if you just said that you needed to have Heal as a class skill?

Also, unlike some forum-goers I don't believe that in-combat healing is NEVER a good option, but it tends to be less game-changing at higher levels, because of deeper health pools and more alternate options. Keeping players from entering this PrC until levels 8-9 seems...less than optimal.


Enhanced Healer (Su):

What exactly does this mean? Is it supposed to imply that healing spells no longer have a cap? I'm a little confused.


1st - Healing Hands (Ex):

Nothing's wrong with this, but I feel like it won't see a lot of use in most hackey-slashey games (and again, if magic is available it will almost always be better, especially at the level you can start entering this class)
Maybe make the bonus scale with level; something like +3 and +1/level of HS, so that it ranges from +4 to +8. (I like things that scale, I can't help it).


2nd - Restorative Reach (Su):
It's better than touch range, but what if it was a steady 20 ft./level, so that it capped at 100 ft., which kind of puts you on the same playing field as other casters (medium range is 100+ ft.)


3rd - Combat Healer (Su):

I'm torn here, because this is a pretty nice ability, and yet you can't use it very much. But if you increase the number of daily uses, it will burn through spell slots very quickly. I need to brainstorm more to try and come up with an actual suggestion though.


5th - Aspect of Life’s Essence (Su):

What healing spells actually require XP? I'm just curious, but I can't think of any off the top of my head. Still, saving money on resurections will be nice.



I always like ideas for improving the healer archetype in D&D. I think the biggest discouragement right now for some one taking this class is the first-level loss of spell progression. Divine casters tend to have more class-features than arcane casters, so even with full casting progression they'd probably be giving something up, but I don't know if it would be enough. If I can come up with any more decisive opinion I'll let you know.

[Jane_Smith]

Why not make combat healer 1/day without using 2 spell slots at 3rd level, 2/day at 4th level, and 3/day at 5th level?

[LordErebus12]

all really good advice

i also had a friend whine about the dead caster level yesterday, to which i tend to agree with.

[LordErebus12]

What exactly does this mean? Is it supposed to imply that healing spells no longer have a cap? I'm a little confused.

Typically a cure light spell is capped at maximum of 1d8+5 healing (at 5th level). this ability allows a 20th level cleric to cure 1d8+20 healing in that case, far better than before.

[LordErebus12]

some tweaks posted.

Better range, more combat casting, no dead caster level.

[LordErebus12]

The Heal skill doesn't really get a lot of use in games with magical healing readily available. Part of that is the skill's fault, IMO it needs some tweaking.
But how about if you just said that you needed to have Heal as a class skill?


I like to agree. i still feel that as a personal variant, those with half health or lower (bloodied), begin losing hit points unless they receive a heal check

[Deviston]

I see a column labeled "Reach". I am not a dolt and think it's function is obvious HOWEVER, you should probably make a class feature entry for it. Just in case someone asks "Why does this class give 80 ft reach for the healer's melee attacks?"

[LordErebus12]

I see a column labeled "Reach". I am not a dolt and think it's function is obvious HOWEVER, you should probably make a class feature entry for it. Just in case someone asks "Why does this class give 80 ft reach for the healer's melee attacks?"

:P you're blind... Restorative Reach.

[Deviston]

There it is, many thanks.

[LordErebus12]

any other comments or ideas?

[bobthe6th]

Have you looked at the radiant servant of pelor? It does alot of different things, but it is the best comparable class.

Have you looked at the war weaver? What about replacing restorative reach with an ability like that. You cast one heal spell and it helps everyone.

Healing is weak enough as is to just drop it down to a enter at 6 Prc.

Okay, first combat healer only needs one of the following: Per day use limit or spend two slots to cast. I would recommend Per Day Use, with like 6 uses per day.

by 10, the healer will have a +17 at minimum for concentration checks(due to combat casting). They will probably have some way to get another +2, and just auto succeed at casting defensively. What about a sanctuary effect every time the caster uses a heal spell? Or even just for the round of him casting it.

I would suggest you provide spontaneous healing for casters that don't otherwise have it.

[LordErebus12]

some of those suggestions might work, but i think all of them together is too much. let me read through them each and then decide.

[LordErebus12]

What about a sanctuary effect every time the caster uses a heal spell? Or even just for the round of him casting it.


Added some refluff for Protective Mantle. mimics a partial sanctuary effect.